Does anyone make custom sized plastic holding tanks? I can't find anything that is quite the right size around 125 gallons.

The way I installed the drain valve on my current holding tank water the last 1/2" or so of water never drains and the tank stinks even after 6 months being empty. If I am going to replace the tank I would like to get a slightly larger one and one with a proper drain. There is a stainless fabricator locally that will make me one out of stainless for around $750 which I don't think is terrible since the plastic tanks I have seen are around $500 to $600 by the time they are shipped. Of course $500 to $600 is still less than $750 if I can find a custom plastic tank fabricator.

When I was buying my four tanks at Ronco I asked them about custom sizes - they said they could do them, but it would be a lot more expensive than a stock size for which they already have molds made. The guy stressed A LOT more expensive! They have nothing stock that will work for you? Even from their range of marine tanks (which have thicker walls)?

I had only looked at Ronco's RV tanks which only go up to 100 gallons max. I just looked at their marine tanks and they do make larger sizes, but it looks like they would cost me just as much as the custom stainless tank.

I'll call Custom Roto-Molding and see what they have to say about making a custom tank. Even though the name says custom I didn't see anything on their website about making a custom tank.

I wanted a 210gal single water tank-that Ronco made. But the box manufacturer made a slight mistake in the basement clearance and it wouldn't fit. I took back the tank and traded for two 98gal tanks that fit much better. If you're doing either your fresh or gray water tank, try tying two together to make better use of space. Good Luck, TomC

I'll check out Seelye too. I suspect from what I have read that the price for a custom plastic tank will be as much or more than a custom stainless tank. One big cost is shipping although Seelye might have no shipping. The stainless tank has no shipping costs and some of the large plastic tanks have to go freight.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned building a tank. I'm not confident that a welded plastic tank would stand up to 125 gallons of waste though.

I wanted a 210gal single water tank-that Ronco made. But the box manufacturer made a slight mistake in the basement clearance and it wouldn't fit. I took back the tank and traded for two 98gal tanks that fit much better. If you're doing either your fresh or gray water tank, try tying two together to make better use of space. Good Luck, TomC

I've already described my cramped under floor space in other threads (on the other Board). I had about 11" of depth and 23" wide but about 11' of length. So I did two tanks, each with a dump valve into a "Y" dump outlet. I have an electric lift pump to transfer grey into the black tank to maximize use - I'm expecting the grey to fill first. Then I can pull the cap off and run the waste hose to the dump site, drain the black and when it's empty, open the grey drain. The "backwash" will flush the black tank. This is how a two-waste-tank (grey and black) system works for me.

I had only looked at Ronco's RV tanks which only go up to 100 gallons max. I just looked at their marine tanks and they do make larger sizes, but it looks like they would cost me just as much as the custom stainless tank.

You shouldn't be paying Ronco's posted prices. Call them and ask for a price quotation - you may be pleasantly surprised . . .

I had only looked at Ronco's RV tanks which only go up to 100 gallons max. I just looked at their marine tanks and they do make larger sizes, but it looks like they would cost me just as much as the custom stainless tank.

You shouldn't be paying Ronco's posted prices. Call them and ask for a price quotation - you may be pleasantly surprised . . .

Ronco is making a huge mistake by publishing prices online then. People like me see the prices and think they are high and don't even consider their product. Nowhere is there any indication that they discount prices when you call them.

I need to measure my space to see if any of the marine tanks would fit and then call them.

Ronco is making a huge mistake by publishing prices online then. People like me see the prices and think they are high and don't even consider their product. Nowhere is there any indication that they discount prices when you call them.

Maybe, maybe not - it depends on the circumstances. Very many companies are primarily trade suppliers and don't really want members of the public messing them about with one-off orders. So they either don't advertise their prices to the public at all, or hike them up so they at least make a decent chunk of profit to compensate for the hassle of dealing with those customers. Difficult to explain and maintain that philosophy when actually dealing with the customer face-to-face or on the 'phone though, which is why it's always worth querying the quoted price when buying something off a trade supplier as a 'walk-in'

Ronco doesn't make the tanks they just sell the tanks the tanks are made by another outfit

Ronco does make their tanks, and (I believe) also for Ardemco just a few miles away in Costa Mesa. There seems to be a very incestuous relationship between tank manufacturers and tank retailers - sometimes it's difficult to know who makes what for whom! There's also the rotomolder in El Monte CA who probably also makes tanks for other vendors. When I asked Ardemco, their prices were much higher than the same tank (with the same part number) directly from Ronco. I don't think one company's tanks are necessarily any better than anyone else's: assuming they're of comparable quality and thickness, freight charges can be the deciding factor, unless you're close enough to drive your bus there and get them yourself which is what I did.

Another factor to consider - will all the needed fittings be spun in at no extra charge? For my gray and black tanks I had eleven fittings spun in, at no charge by Ronco, and at more than a year after I first bought the tanks. One word of advice - if you can, choose the Heavy-Duty (thicker wall) spin-weld fittings, because when you thread the Valterra flanges and whatnots in they will stretch less than regular fittings: http://www.bunnweb.org/spinwelding.com/page2.htm

I'll check out Seelye too. I suspect from what I have read that the price for a custom plastic tank will be as much or more than a custom stainless tank. One big cost is shipping although Seelye might have no shipping. The stainless tank has no shipping costs and some of the large plastic tanks have to go freight.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned building a tank. I'm not confident that a welded plastic tank would stand up to 125 gallons of waste though.

I'm planning a combined waste tank like I already have.

I didn't mention it because I knew that you were already aware of it and had probably already ruled out that option as unsuitable for youself.

As for confidence in a welded plastic tank, I guess it all depends on who does the welding.

craig (aka 150 gallons fresh in 3 tanks. 150 gallons waste in one tank. Welded polypropylene sheets. Two failures on the main fresh water tank from over pressurizing it. Human error, not a failure of the manufacturing process.)

Here in middle Tennessee we have two rotational tank companies that manufacture tanks for the boating industry, they may have something that would work. One is INCA in Nashville http://www.incaproducts.com/ and the other is Moller Marine in Sparta, TN http://moellermarine.com/. There are others around, including one I can't remember North of Chicago, but I have been away from that business for at least a dozen years. Try a search for marine rotational molded tanks.

Russ

Logged

Well no longer a bus nut, but over the years I learned a lot here and still come back to see what I can apply to the conversion of my KW T2000 for hauling my Teton fifth wheeler.

I have been to Ronco's factory in Irvine and they showed me their roto casting machines in operation. Maybe they have an extra factory in Idaho. If you call Ronco direct and talk to them telling them you are building your own conversion, at least with me they gave me 50% off the listed price on the web. Then go and directly pickup the tanks and they will spin weld the fittings on the tanks for you at no charge. I used Ronco for my tanks in my truck that bounced around for over 800,000miles with no problems. With their great customer service, heavy duty design, I'd highly recommend you find a tank that works for you. I used the marine tanks since they are much larger then the RV tanks. I don't care that they are rectangular and have a bit left in the tank after emptying-just rinse a couple of times and the remaining is so diluted, it won't stink. Good Luck, TomC

again - just my .02 http://www.trioniccorp.com/ really does a good job and actually manufacturers the product - -they will spinweld your fittings of whatever (NPT) size and location you desire at no extra chargemine dont leak and even when we fill the fresh tank and it is overflowing it doesnt bow or flexhere is a pic of the tight fit we got for our mci7I know they manufacturer them as I picked mine up from their factory in WI - saw them actually making tanks